Swing riders stranded 300 feet up for 3 hours

BUENA VISTA, Calif. -- Twenty people were left dangling 300 feet in the air for more than three hours Wednesday after a ride at Southern California's Knott's Berry Farm broke down for the second time in less than two weeks.

The WindSeeker ride has now been shuttered for inspection.

It stopped working at around 4 p.m. Wednesday, said park spokeswoman Jennifer Blazey.

A security system on the ride, which opened in August 2011, caused it to shut down, she said.

Riders were left stranded until about 7:50 p.m., nearly two hours after the park's 6 p.m. closure.

There were no reports of injuries, Buena Park police Cpl. Andy Luong said. Firefighters were not called in response to the mishap, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Marc Stone said.

The WindSeeker has 32 two-person gondolas that go 301 feet up and then swing riders for a minute at a 45-degree angle at eight rotations per minute, according to the theme park's website.

The ride, made by Dutch manufacturer Mondial, also became stuck on Sept. 7, Blazey said.

In that case, the problem stemmed from a faulty reading on an electrical safety switch that is not a part of the ride, park officials told the Orange County Register.